Dear Moneyist, My son told me that I’ve amounted to nothing and he doesn’t want anything to do with me. He has nothing to do with me or my side of the family. Do I have to leave my son anything when I die? Should I cut him out ofRead More →
Dear Moneyist, On May 30, 2018 my mother moved out all her belongings and informed my father that she was leaving him after 30 years of marriage, and that she would be seeking a divorce. No papers had been filed at that point. The next day my father went toRead More →
Dear Moneyist, My 93-year-old father has dementia. He married his second wife, who is 91, four years ago. He did not make a last will and testament, and cannot legally make one now because of his dementia. He is not expected to live much longer because of heart problems. MyRead More →
The widely publicized family feuds surrounding the estates of Tom Petty, Aretha Franklin, Prince and other celebrities vividly illustrate why estate planning is essential to provide for the people and things you care about most, even if you’re not a rock star. While celebrity cases may make headlines, the angst,Read More →
Dear Moneyist, My friend’s father was a widower who had roughly $5 million in stocks. He was 84 when he met and soon married his younger bride (a nurse who was 60 at the time, divorced with grown children). She signed a prenuptial agreement when they married. A few yearsRead More →
Dear Moneyist, My stepfather passed away last year. His will was very confusing and not updated after he married mother. His children (me, my stepbrother and stepsister) were left his businesses and his home. His life insurance was supposed to go to my mother, but the policy was terminated aRead More →
Dear Moneyist, My dad wrote a will before he passed away, but my stepmother wouldn’t let us know anything about it. I know my father wanted to provide for her while she was living. I was told he wouldn’t let her sell the house while she was alive. She justRead More →
Dear Moneyist, Over the past 25 years, my wife, 47, and I, 46, have both held professional careers, making well above the average income. Our home, purchased in 1998 for $84,000, and after $50,000 plus of upgrades and additions, is valued at $185,000. We have invested our money, maxing outRead More →
Dear Moneyist, I am a 23-year-old female who is in a relationship with a 30-year-old man. We have been together for the past four years and now have a 1-year-old together. He also has one child from a previous relationship. He has a career in the Navy and is planningRead More →
Dear Moneyist, I am considering going back to court to reduce the maintenance that I have to pay to my ex-wife (we had a 25-year marriage). We have three children together, and after the divorce I stayed in the home and my children stayed with me. I have been theRead More →
Before the days of income and estate taxes, adult children often just moved into the family home after their parents died. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple anymore. There are several ways to give a home to your child. And a few are tax-free. But to get the best tax results,Read More →
